Some of the names to be included:
Braswell, Bracewell, Brassell, Bracell, Brazell, Smith, Coleman, Boyd, Mayfield, Wagner, Gresham.
THE EARLY BRACEWELLS IN ENGLAND
The following is from PENNINGTON PEDIGREES, GROUP X- THOMAS OF SUSSEX (Vol.s 4-8 1972-1976) AND EARLY PENNINGTONS IN ENGLAND (Vol.s 13-15), page 412.
"The Braswell's first appeared in the Sixth Century A.D. in the Kingdom of Ulster, Northern Ireland. About 500 A.D. a chieftain-king of Ulster raised two sons, one became Regent and the other, named Prince Bresal, was our ancient ancestor.
"According to archaic Irish barbs, the ancestry of Prince Bresal led backward through time and connected to King Milesus of Spain, who conquered Ireland over 1500 years before the birth of Christ. The coat of arms, a gold lion on a scarlet background, reflects Milesian ancestry of the clan. As the centuries passed the descendants of Prince Bresal came to use the surname "Brassil" to indicate their descent from this ancient noble.
"The early descendants of Prince Bresal were considered aristocratic and were large landholders in the Kingdom of Ulster. The family was listed on the social register of Erin up to the Seventeenth Century. During the first decade of the 1600's the lands of all Ulster noblemen, including the Brassil's, were confiscated by the British Crown in revenge for Ulster's part in an abortive attempt to overthrow English rule. In 1610 we find where a Corman McTirlagh Brassil was granted 12 acres by the British Crown in return for his confiscated estate. On the vast lands of Ulster, taken over by the English Monarch, the Crown settled thousands of Scottish Lowlanders which gave birth to the Scotch-Irish race that later migrated in mass to the American colonies.
"Luckily, the Braswell family escaped the hardships suffered by their distant relatives in Ireland during the plantation of Ulster. About 1100 A.D. a small band of Ulster Brassil's crossed the narrow Irish Sea and settled in York County, England. This tiny colony grew until the entire community in Yorkshire came to be known as "Bracewell."
"The earliest record of the Braswell family in England is dated 1276 A.D. when mention was made of a certain Williamus Bracewell. In the Lincolnshire Records Society publications other references are made to individuals described as "de Bruncewell" in the thirteenth century. As we approach the fifteenth century the search begins to solidify. There appears to be two sets of Braswells, the de Bruncewells of Lincolnshire and the Bracewells of Yorkshire.
"On 27 March 1560 an EDMUND BRACEWELL of Grantham, Co. Lincoln, Sadler, London, England died. He had a son ROBERT.
"This ROBERT BRACEWELL married JONE. He was 30 years of age on 14 May 1583. He was Churchwarden of Grantham in 1596-97. He died 23 September 1613. He had five sons; Nathaniel, RICHARD, Robert, Edward, and John. The BRASWELL that migrated to America was the son of this RICHARD."
Note: Information located by David Kruger of Houston, Texas (cousin to Joyce Ann Braswell on her paternal Grandmother's side.)
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We owe a debt of gratitude to Roy Bennett Braswell author of the original books starting in 1973. Roy's last book was 1983 and it has been posted online at http://www.videoranch.net/braswell.htm
Roy Bennett and Irene (French) Braswell are responsible for the well laid ground work for finding so much of the Braswell history. Granted there are some errors, when found they are fixed. The information highway of today goes places no one dreamed we could go in the 70's.
Additional thanks go to Joyce A. Braswell, David Kruger, Jody (Braswell) and Stan Hunt and Samuel Coleman and Elizabeth (Armstrong) Braswell. Many sleepless nights have been spent researching and typing. We truly hope you either find you family connections here or help us add them. Braswell has been spelled many different ways but all are kin to some degree. OK, cousins, this is our place!
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